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Metro economies

CITIES are booming. The world's largest 300 metropolitan economies account for 19% of the global population and almost half the world's GDP. Last year, incomes and jobs tended to grow faster in these urban areas than their national averages, according to a report from the Brookings Institution, a think-tank. The fastest growing metro areas are in poor countries. Places in Asia and Latin America never faced a recession or have enjoyed a recovery, unlike most cities in the West. (In North America, some urban centres only reached pre-recession levels of income and employment in 2012.) Most regions of the world saw modest economic and jobs growth last year, but Western Europe has been walloped by the euro area crisis. For instance, Spain's three biggest cities have seen employment atrophy by around 3% every year since 2007. Yet the rich world's metro economies still make up around two-thirds of the world's 300 largest metropolitan economies' combined GDP.

Readers' comments

wow，in fact , I can not feel such a big change in hefei with living in there for almost 22years. One thing I can certify is that, although a situation in every countries, poor still poor and rich become rich more! my family is a best instance for this.

Given that the chart in question is real GDP per person, then "what ails the UAE" must either be a drop in real GDP or an increase in persons. Given that this chart is per person, not per citizen, I suspect it's a matter of an influx of relatively low-paid foreign workers dragging down the average.

The Chinese are turning the corner and gaining momentum in their capitalist communism done "China style" and the numbers are on their side as far as population and frugalness. WE are all to take note as this super-power gives more voice to the rest of the world.

Well, living in Hefei for more than 20 years also, I would never demoralize the city's stride towards a better built economy based on the most recent 5 years' endeavor. The changes are booming everywhere from transportation to infrastructure, let alone with USTC and NLNF around, the city is undergoing a very refreshing growth pattern hallmarked by strong performance in highTech and education.